[Elcie]

Now there have been a few times in my gardening life that I have bought some veg plants from the garden centre, either to fill a space or because I didn't want to wait for the seeds to germinate.  But the things they are selling these days to jump on the grow your own bandwagon actually had me laughing out loud yesterday.

1. Radish - I kid you not.  Some were actually almost full size.  Imagine paying £2.99 for a box of radishes and then trying to transplant them so that they grow!
2. There were other, similarly worrying ones like carrots and beetroot, but the biggest laugh came from:
POTATOES!  3 chitted seed potatoes in a small tray with about half an inch of soil in the bottom!  £2.99!

[digalotty]

would you believe it , i wouldn't mind but this stuff is being bought by adults 

[KingEdward]

 

[Debz]

I have bought potatoes growing in a pot at a garden centre because I was visiting and it seemed like a nice alternative idea.  They were in a decent sized pot though.

[goodegg]

anyone with the slightest bit of gardening sense would not buy these its enough to put peeps of growing befoore they start no wonder  many peeps say i tried growing but it didnt work very well they are doing the wrong thing because they are putting peeps of that would be buying there products later on so they are losing moneys they could get.

[Kristen]

At my local G.C. the Tomato Plants that are in the "under cover" bit (roof only, thus still "outdoors") look unbelievably dishevelled - even though they Fleece them at night.

And then the Chillies etc, which are "indoors", have so little light they look ready to give up the ghost too.

You'd think they would, at least, tool up for the job. They've bought all the plants in, most are going to be chucked, how hard would it be to set up an area where they could actually be nurtured a bit ... or just not bring any in until it is safe for people to grow them on?

[monsta]

netto tried the potatoes in a tray trick last year, 6 chitted potatoes in a bit compost for 2.99. they were in the ruduced bin a couple of weeks later for 50p  

[Goosegirl]

IMHO they are scraping the bottom of the barrel for the latest ideas and innovations - pun intended..! Is it me...?   

[Loubs]

To be fair, it's the same with pretty much any activity or hobby.  If you want to be a writer, you can sign up to all manner of classes, buy an expensive lap-top, posh fountain pen, assorted "how-to" guide books. But actually all you need is a cheap note-pad and a biro to get started.

All power to the garden centres if those expensive grow kits get anyone excited enough about growing stuff to look into it further.

[greenhead]

Its not limited to garden centres either.  Last year a supermarket (every little helps) in Worcester was selling tomato plants suitably shortened in order to fit into the shelving  and people were buying them too.